A Woman's Touch
by BoredomStrikesAgainAndAgain
Summary: To do this job right, Cobb pulled all the strings to get his team perfect. Even if it did result to the rest of them listening at the two squabble like old married couples. EamesxOC
1. Chapter One: Weapons Specialist

**Chapter One: Weapons Specialist**

She stormed off.

Two men stared after her. One of them was ready to run after her, clearly confused with her reaction, the other smirking, clearly impressed at the young prodigy as she slammed the door closed.

"She'll be back" said Cobb. He picked up a towel, rubbing a bit of sweat off him as he walked towards Arthur, the Point Man of their group. The woman was impressive. Back when he first tried dream manipulation, he couldn't handle the complexity of it all. With a little bit of practice and a few tricks from Arthur, building mazes will be easy for her.

"I've never seen anyone pick it up that quickly before. Reality's not gonna be enough for her now. When she comes back, you're gonna have her building mazes" he said, pulling out a bag, getting his things together for a trip.

"Where're you gonna be?" asked Arthur. He placed the PASIV device down, finished fixing the IV tubing into the briefcase. He stared at Cobb hurryingly shoving clothes in to his pack.

"I gotta go visit Eames." Arthur scoffed, now that would be stupid. "Eames? No, he's in Mombasa."

Cobol Engineering would be right on his tail the second he lands on Kenya.

"A necessary risk."

"There's plenty of good thieves-"Arthur tried to reason to the Extractor. Cobol Engineering placed a price on both their heads after that mishap with Saito. With money like that, contract killers wouldn't think twice in pulling the trigger straight through their head; Cobol wasn't exactly known for their understanding nature.

"We don't just need a thief, we need a forger. Plus, I think it's time to visit Cleo. We may need her for this." Cobb smiled, remembering the British woman who saved their lives countless of times in the field, mostly from failed contracts. She was small, not more than five feet, but she can pack up a punch or put a bullet straight through an eye whenever needed.

"Cleo? What do we need with a weapons specialist? We're not expecting a war zone anytime soon"

Cobb stopped what he was doing. He sat down next to his pack, staring at the floor. "Maybe not, but this is my last chance to clear my name, my last chance to see my kids again," he whispered, barely heard as Arthur moved closer to his friend, "I'm not taking any chances." The determination can be heard clearly. He zipped his bag close, ready to leave before night time.

Arthur sympathized with his friend, he knew how much this job meant to him. It's been years since he last saw his kids. A chance, no matter how slim it was, to see your children again was worth taking. "Well, this'll be fun. Cleo and Eames were pretty good together last time they took a job with us." A chuckle escaped Arthur's lips. Memories of the two arguing with each other, stealing each other's "toys" for target practice, and the mess they made on the old warehouse last they were left alone came back.

"Make sure to clean up after those two once they're here, alright?" Cobb laughed at that. They did act like an old married couple at times when they work together, but he wouldn't have his team in any other way.


	2. Chapter Two: Mombasa

**Chapter Two: Mombasa**

Cleo POV

Mombasa was the same as it was yesterday. It was hot, crowded, but you sure as hell can't get the feel of this place anywhere else. I felt more at home here than I ever did back in gloomy old London. Of course, my vacation would've been perfect if I wasn't sharing the city with a certain asshole. All I wanted was peace and quiet for my one month vacation. But for some reason, coincidence he said, Eames got stuck here with me. I know we've got this crazy relationship where we enjoy blowing each other's head off, but I do that already on a regular basis when we work together.

Ever since teaming up with Cobb back then, we were supposed to spread out to different countries and disappear; the job wasn't as successful as we hoped it would be. Needless to say, Eames and I stuck around. It wasn't bad since we got each other's back. We may, on special occasions, push each other close to slitting each other's throat. Ah, good times.

Weeks before coming here, I already planned it all out. I was supposed to be staying in a five-star hotel, enjoy the life of luxury I so rarely enjoy with my ill-gotten money. However, just as I asked for my reservation at the reception, it was 'mysteriously' cancelled just a day before. Apparently, the Forger saw it best if we stayed together in the same crappy hotel we were staying in right now. "Did you really expect me to leave your gorgeous self, in a city like this, without any backup, darling?" he reasoned to me then. I would've been flattered at what Eames passes off as complement, but I was really looking forward on dipping myself in oils and muds for days in my first choice of hotel's well known spa. I was angry. I am not going to apologize for almost punching his teeth out after that.

So here I am in _this_ hotel's little restaurant, enjoying a glass of mimosa, staring out the window, thinking of the relaxing massage I would've gotten if it wasn't for the annoying English man's meddling. I took a sip from my second glass of the day as I stared at the busy streets through the window, thinking of ways to torture the bastard better later, when I heard a cough behind me. I turned around and there in front of me was an Extractor I haven't seen for years.

I jumped off my seat and jumped into Cobb's open arms, almost pushing my seat down to the ground if it wasn't for Eames' reflexes. Cobb laughed at my unexpected reaction. It was so good to see him. It may have been that long since I last saw him and Arthur, but that doesn't make me miss them any less. "Easy, darling. You never got that excited when you see me," pouted Eames. I pushed myself from the embrace, staring at Cobb as he stared at me for a moment, sharing a smile to a friend I've missed very much.

I turned my attention to Eames, smiling sickly sweet, "Trust me, love. I'd get more excited if I found out I won't have to look at your face for at least a month." I walked to the beaten man, kissed his cheek, and just like that, he grinned like a kid with a candy. Cobb laughed staring at both of us. "I see nothing's changed."

"Well, that's not true," Eames said, draping his arm over my shoulder. "If you look at her hard enough, you'd see how fat she's got from all those blueberry muffins she stuff down her throat." I smacked at Eames' arm, and all I got was a laugh from the two blokes.

We sat at my table earlier, catching up on trivial things. We laughed at each other's jokes and stories talking about the good old days when we used to go on jobs together, but I know Cobb didn't flew all the way here just to exchange stories.

"Not that I don't enjoy our talks, dear. But, why are you here?" I asked the man across from me. Cobb went silent for a while, as if thinking on what to say next.

"Inception." I felt my eyebrows furrow. This again? I stared at Eames sitting next to me. He looked at me, his worry clearly etched on his face just as I'm sure it was on mine. He knew this subject affected me after our last job. Under the table, he squeezed my hand, trying to give me a bit of comfort. For that, I forced a small smile his way, not wanting to worry him more than he's starting to.

Cobb probably noticed our little exchange, "Before you bother telling me it's impossible-"

Eames cuts him off, "No, it's perfectly possible. It's just bloody difficult!" I flinched a little, knowing full well what 'difficult' meant. I squeezed his hand back, trying make him relax from his outburst. I saw him soften his stiff posture a bit.

"Interesting" Cobb said, pulling his beer bottle to his lips as he takes a swig. "Arthur kept telling me it can't be done."

"Arthur." Eames chuckled at the mention of the name, "You're still working with that stick-in-the-mud?"

I elbowed Eames' abdomen, and got a satisfying grunt in return, "Play nice. Arthur's good at what he does." I reasoned with the man next to me. Of all the people we got to work with, there was no Point Man like Arthur. Just as there's no Extractor like Cobb.

"He's the best! But he has no imagination. If you're going to perform inception, you need imagination." That was true. You need a creative mind just to push even a sliver of an idea. It was hard to work around a mind, how to trick itself into thinking its thoughts is its own. I guess the intricacy of it all was what got us messed up last time. I cringed at a memory I'd much rather not remember, but the talk of inception brought back memories I was not ready to deal with. Eames sensed my unyielding discomfort as he pulled me closer to him; releasing my hand, rubbing his hands up and down my arm instead.

Cobb noticed my reaction, he knew there was something we weren't telling him. "Let me ask you something, have you done it before?" He stared at us intently, clearly wanting to know the whole story. Re-telling the story wasn't something I would enjoy so instead, I rested my head on Eames shoulder; I'd let him take the lead on this one.

Eames sighed. I guess neither one of us wanted to relive the memory. "We tried it. We got the idea in place. But it didn't take." Short and simple, no details. I liked it.

"You didn't plant it deep enough?"

It was my turn to sigh, "Cobb, the thing about inception is not just depth. Sure, it helps build up the story for the subject, but what we need is the simplest version of an idea in order for it to grow naturally in the subject's mind."

"It's a very settle art, you see" Eames said, smirking at me. I blushed at his stare, clearly still not used with his blatant charm. I cleared my throat, riding myself of any thought of the Forger. Sitting next to me. His arm around me… I'll enjoy the attention for now.

"So," I started, trying to take the wheel in the conversation, "What is this idea you need to plant?" I asked, staring straight at Cobb, doing my best to ignore the still smirking man next to me.

"We need the heir of a major corporation to dissolve his father's empire." Eames and I stared at Cobb for a moment, no words spoken. Well, that sounded easy enough. Eames and I shared a look, not knowing exactly on how to start.

"See, right there you've got various political motivations, anti-monopolistic sentiment, and so forth. But all that stuff's at the mercy of the subject's prejudice" I stared at Eames, understanding what he meant. "All you have to go to do is start at the absolute basic." I said as if it dawn to me how simple it can be.

"Which is?"

"The relationship with the father." I smiled, I was thinking the same thing. The catharsis can provide a way for us to make his emotional choices turn to corporate. Worth a try, at least.

I almost forgot! "Have you got a chemist?" I asked, knowing exactly which man to pick for this kind of job. Cobb shakes his head, looking as though he hasn't even thought of finding one yet. "Well, there's a man here, Yusuf," I said, proud of the man who I thought was an absolute genius. "He formulates his own version of the compounds."

"Let's go see him then." Cobb was about ready to stand up, so was I even, but Eames pulled me back down. He stared intently at Cobb, warning him as he casually drinks his scotch, trying to appear as if normal. "Once you've lost your tail."

My eyes widened. Were we being followed? I scanned the people around us. Aside from the strange group of men near the exit screaming at each other like drunkards, the only other thing I found odd was a white man sitting on the bar, hands in his jacket as if trying to pull out… is that a gun? "Back by the bar, blue tie. Came in about two minutes after we did." Eames said, with his casual façade, exposed the man easily. Damn it. My at ease self on vacation definitely made me rusty.

Cobb caught sight of the man as well. Playing it off, he drank the last few drops of beer from his bottle. "Run interference. We'll meet downstairs in half an hour."

"What, back here?" asked Eames, with a plastered plastic smile on his face. I swear, he looks like he's enjoying himself.

"Last place they'd expect." I chuckled, seeing the irony of that. I lifted my white summer dress, making sure I had my gun on me. After making sure, I was about to stand up, ready to distract the man from the bar, when Eames none so gently pulled me back down, again! I glared at the man, didn't saw the reason for his 'manhandling', but all I got was a smirk. "I'd rather use my skills here, darling. Wouldn't want to waste your charm on people other than me." Eames winked. I blushed at his boldness, well aware of Cobb hearing everything he said, but there was not time to react.

Just as Eames ran interference, the man from the bar saw Cobb jump from the window. He ran towards me, trying to pass to go after Cobb, but just as he pushed past me, I took my gun from my thigh and hit him hard on his nape. One blow got him snoozing on the floor. I saw Eames clearly impressed as he clapped slowly, walking towards me. Once next to me, we stared after Cobb running through the busy market.

"You think he'll make it back here?" asked Eames, observing the mess Cobb just made in the market. I turned to him, ready to answer but saw two men nearing Cobb too close for comfort. I lifted the gun straight, aiming at the two, and with a squeeze of the trigger, I hit the two through and through.

"With my help, give him fifteen minutes." I smirked, basking on the feeling of my small victory. At least our little vacation hasn't blunted my skill.

 **R &R guys :))**


	3. Chapter Three: Protect

**Chapter Three: Protect**

Unlike my dear friend, I like walking out the door. But then again, I wasn't ordered to kill; at least, not anymore since Eames and I took care of the pests back in Sydney. I take pleasure in opportune times where I get to act and dress like a lady. It wasn't every day I'd get to dress myself up in something flowy and white. However, today I had business to attend to, more so Cobb's business. What kind of friend would I be if I left him without back-up? Besides, some of Cobol's troops weren't exactly the run-of-the-mill soldiers you hire from craigslist.

Who was I kidding? God knows I've been longing for _something_ to happen these past few days. The first couple of days of vacation was a God send. But staying in one place, doing nothing but eat, rest, gamble, drink, and repeat, got boring for me. The only reason I got through more than a week was probably because of Eames. I do love our occasional _wrestle_ every once in a while. Wouldn't call ourselves a couple per se, more of friends who fool around when wanted. I didn't like things complicated.

I left Eames at the bar, wouldn't want him to waste a good scotch I ordered. That, plus I may have left him tied on the chair. He was going on and on about how I should stay like some helpless girl, while he goes and help Cobb. That got me ticked. I'd say it was an accident to leave him behind, but pulling him down on the chair, his suit jacket pulled off up to his elbow, then tied behind his back didn't really scream 'accident'. I was pretty sure someone from upstairs would pull him free later on, I just needed enough time to move. I gave a kiss on his nose for good measure, to maybe dial his anger down a bit when he sees me again later. Right now, I had to worry on catching up.

As I walked out through the front door, I saw a man lay unconscious near my feet. Judging from the clothes and gun on his holster, I'd say he worked for Cobol. The badge on his I.D. was sort of a dead giveaway, too. From the way his body lay down on the floor, I'd say Cobb went through the market, leaving behind a trail of mess with angry merchants complaining on. I sighed. With the size of the crowd forming in the busy street, I may not catch up to Cobb. I tried to look for a small alley, somewhere I could squeeze myself in to. I turned to the right, and there hiding beneath a tarp, I saw a bike.

I, for one, am not fond of riding bikes. I can ride them, yes, but the driving part was hard for me, for any vehicle actually. I was pretty sure they made the 'All woman can't drive' saying based on myself. Desperate times however got me hotwiring the bike. I rode it through the small alley, away from the busy street, taking special care on keeping my balance. In my defense, wearing a white dress on heels while riding this contraption was something no man would ever experience. After putting some distance from the hotel, I find myself getting the hang of it. It was pretty easy actually if you-

Damn it. I guess it's not that easy considering I just ran over a man. That, and I flew none-so-gracefully off the bike. A few scratches here and there, wouldn't say the same for the man I ran over though. I approached the man on the floor, from the looks of it, he was merely unconscious.

"Cleo?!" I turned around, I'd know that voice anywhere. But, instead of annoying him with a warm hello and how do you do, Cobb quite literally pulled me away from the raining gunshots that followed him. I recovered quickly from the shock as I pulled my weight, running now side by side with Cobb in the small alley. With the alley clear of anything, it was hard to dodge the bullets; I felt one of it graze my waist, a small cut on my beautiful dress. Now that got me angry.

I was done running. I felt adrenaline course through me, everything in slow motion. I pulled my guns off my thigh holster, stopped on my tracks, and turned around. So far there were four. Four fucktards who ruined my dress. With precision, I pulled the trigger on the closest one, straight through his carotid artery. I shifted my weight some, pulled the trigger on the second to his femoral, and on to the third to his jugular.

The fourth proved himself difficult. Just as I was squeezing the trigger, he slammed his arm against my hand holding the gun, away from his chest. The fucker was fast, I'd give him that. I tried to retaliate by freeing my other hand of the gun, ready to punch the bastard square on the face, but his punch got to me sooner. His punch felt like bricks, with his large arms and conveniently worn brass knuckles. My lip splits open. That just got me angrier. Not only was my beautiful dress filthy and teared, now it had blood on it. With a crazed look in my eyes, I stared at the fucker and stabbed him through his ribs angled in to his heart. Should've checked my other hand asshole, I always kept a fixed blade on me.

I felt time speed up again, my body released from the high. I pushed the body off, the frame of the man towering me. I shook my head, trying to release my blood thirst mind from my rage. Looking around my handiwork, I guess I went a little out of control. I shrugged, better them dead than us getting shot anyway. I turned around, ready to catch up with Cobb, but the Extractor apparently didn't ran off that much after realizing I stopped, his Beretta on him. He looked shocked, impressed even. I would've boast my skills, but sounds of gunshots were coming closer.

We continued on running, desperate to move through without getting caught or killed. Cobb and I raised our guns to the direction of the gunshots, firing blindly at nothing. We needed some way to lose them, at this rate we couldn't out run them. Up ahead, we saw a small opening. A crack on a concrete maybe, but we took a chance through. I went ahead through the space between the walls. We can see the road at the end as we squeezed ourselves through the crack. It was a tight squeeze; even with my small frame, it proved difficult to pass through. With a few wriggle, I got through the opening. I tumbled a little off balance, but stood up straight in an instant, ready to run again. At least, I would've if Cobb wasn't stuck.

I knew the seriousness of the situation, but this was a first. "And here I thought you lost a few pounds." I snickered, couldn't resist the chance to tease the man.

"Now's not the time, Cleo!" At that, I laughed. The gun shots were far off from where we were, so I took my time enjoying the moment of Cobb getting stuck. Would've let him suffer a little while longer, but shouts on the other end were louder, probably spotting Cobb between the walls. Wouldn't want to waste all my effort in saving his ass, I pulled hard to get him through.

We tried to walk casually through the streets, act like a tourist, but then a few Range Rover blocked our way. Alright, I guess I should've pulled him out sooner. We ran from the blockade, going back from where we came, only to find a man with his gun aimed right at Cobb. Quickly, I draw my gun out, ready to shoot before he squeezed the trigger. But then, a car skids up, the passenger door slamming the man down.

"Care for a lift, Mr. Cobb?" I had no idea who this man was, but with circumstances right now, I'd take the ride. I followed Cobb in the car, closing the door behind me just as the car sped off.

"What are you doing in Mombasa?" Cobb stared incredulously at the man on my far left. He turned his head to us casually, taking his time in answering, "I am protecting my investment," he said as if it was the most obvious thing to ask.

I chuckled. So this was the man Cobb was working for. "Remind me to offer my services to you in the future Mr. Saito," I said as I sat more comfortably on my seat.

"How do you know who I am?" He asked, staring at me suspiciously, "I wouldn't think Mr. Cobb would brief you this early in your recruitment."

"Everybody knows who the head of Proclus Global is, Mr. Saito. I'm quite a fan of your work," I said, my smile appearing as sincere as it can be, flattery clearly escalating the already inflated ego. In all seriousness, everyone knew who Saito was; at least everyone in my line of business. In the world of extraction, every part of the team should know the latest news with tycoons, conglomerates, scandals etc. It was what keeps us in the know on who needed to hire us. However, what makes me wonder is how Cobb got a job from him.

In no time, we arrived at the hotel. Wasn't really looking forward to this. I knew Eames got his shackles off eventually, but I really did hope my little kiss earlier would clear his hot headed booboo. From the looks of it, he was far from his forgiving mood.

"Someone looks pissed," said Cobb, more amused at my nervousness than the angry man outside.

I felt Cobb staring at me, asking for an explanation, but I just looked ahead of me. The thread work on the seats were pretty amazing at that point. "I may have tied him up back at the bar."

He snickered, he already expected the answer, but wanted to hear it from me instead.

He rolled down the rear window, beckoning on Eames to get in. He was leaning on the wall by the entrance. With his eyebrow raised, he stared at Saito, then back at us. "So this is your idea of losing a tail?" he said, his mocking tone trying to get a rue out of me, "I must say, love, you've lost your touch."

Before I can reply at him, my witty remark on the tip of my tongue, Cobb spoke first, "Different tail."

Eames narrowed his eyes, as if to think if it would be wise to get in. Nevertheless, with a shrug, he took his place in the front seat.

The time it took from the Hotel to Yusuf's alley felt like hours, when it only took ten minutes. The silence in the car was suffocating; I could feel Eames' anger directed at me. Cobb wasn't much of a help, he was clearly amused at how things were right now. Over at Saito's side, he sat silently, probably sensing the awkwardness of the situation. Once at the mouth of the alley, the car dropped us off. It was nice to actually breathe; I felt like I was choked in there.

Eames looked around, probably trying to look for Elim. The little boy was Yusuf's ward, been his since both of his parents died. The thing about Elim, which I found highly amusing, was he did not like Eames. At all.

To be frank, Eames was a little tough on the guy. With him playing the bad cop, I took the role in being the sweet, motherly type.

I looked around, staring at some of the kids playing. Knowing Elim, he would play in secret, preferring the companionship of elderly folks with their chess and card games.

"Who are you looking for?" Saito asked, staring at both of us. "The thing about Yusuf, Mr. Saito, is he keeps his work secret. To get to him, we need his guide." Eames walked over the children by the stairs, probably asking them for the boy.

"We need Elim," I answered Saito's and Cobb's curious stares, wondering who our guide was.

"Ms. Cleo?" I heard a small voice ask from behind us, as though he wasn't sure. We turned around, but saw only a shadow hiding in a small alley.

I smiled at the shadow, knowing full well who it was, "There you are darling," I said, my tone soft as to not scare the poor boy away.

From the shadows, he walked his way out of the alley. A grin present on his face, "Here to see Yusuf?" he asked to me, his stare growing wary at the men with me. "Well, yes. You see, these men are with me. We have a proposition for Yusuf." I explained to the boy, knowing full well how protective he is of his father figure. Elim looked at the others again, judging them if they were dangerous, then back at me. With a nod, he led us through the alley. Cobb and Saito followed the boy, while I called over Eames.

"I'd never understand why that boy's friendlier to you than he is with me," said Eames, annoyed at the boy ahead.

I looked over at him, glad he was talking to me again, "Maybe it's just my feminine charm," I teased, smirking at him as I looked over.

I expected a chuckle or a smirk, but I guess he wasn't over my little betrayal from earlier. With a sigh, I rested my hand on his arm, "Are you still mad?" I whispered, staring up at him as I caught his attention. It was wrong of me to leave him there, I knew that, but I had to prove to him that I don't always need to be protected. He's taken a lot of fights and bullets for me, and it's just not right. A team hires me to protect them, not the other way around. But, somehow, I just can't put it through his head.

He stared back at me, overwhelming me with his eyes, emotions I can't explain, "I'm not mad." He finally said, rubbing his hands over his face, exasperated with everything, "I just don't like it when you run in to trouble without thinking it through."

I chuckled, I do make a habit of that sometimes, "I was always good with improv, and you know that." I wound my arm around his, getting myself comfortable next to him.

With a smirk, he looked down at me on his arm, "I wasn't talking about improv acting in the field, Cleo."

"But you have to admit, I am damn good." I don't like tooting my own horn, but Eames had competition when he acts out his forged projections. Eames stared at me amused, "Of course, you learned from the best." And that, I did.

I smiled at how smooth things can go between us. We have our rough times; either when we're just together, or in the field, or in the sack. But that's what makes things great between us.

Walking through the tight shadowed area, a few people were staring at our little group. Some knew exactly where we were going, some were probably Yusuf's clients. I looked around; this place was a little shady. I shivered at the feeling of someone staring at me. My dress was worse for wear; the little action earlier got it torn in places. I took my arm from Eames, wrapping it around me, suddenly feeling conscious of the little material left. I was trying to look nonchalant, but I guess my discomfort was clear on my face when Eames decided to place his suit jacket over my shoulders.

My eyes widen at the sudden heaviness, surprised by the gentlemanly action. I looked up at him, trying to figure him out, but he merely shrugged. Eames looked back around us, probably noticing the covetous stares. He pulled me closer to him, wrapping an arm around my waist, gently pushing me to walk faster towards the others.

Out of the shady alley, I released a breath I didn't knew I was holding. I may be trained in self defense, but stares like that still makes my skin crawl.

We walked a little more, standing in familiar grounds. There, Elim dropped us off, after payment from Eames, to Yusuf's workhouse. We climbed the small steps up to his front door, Cobb looking eager to meet the chemist.

 **Sorry late update, been busy with binge watching some series before the end of summer. I'll try to post a new chapter or two tomorrow :)) R &R guys!**


	4. Chapter Four: Explanation

**Chapter Four: Explanation**

"Well, this is definitely a wonderful surprise." Yusuf welcomed the small party in his 'pharmacy'. Row upon row, wooden shelves were holding hundreds of dusty glass bottles of all shapes and colors. Saito and Cobb looked around, impressed with the collection. From what Cobb can tell, some of the liquids displayed were familiar to him; what the military frequently use in dream sharing. Others were peculiar, something he hasn't seen before.

Cleo walked up to the man behind the table, "Yusuf, it's good to see you," she said, hugging him as he stood up, welcoming his friend's gesture.

"What the devil happened to you?" Yusuf stared, stunned at the sight of Cleo's practically shredded wardrobe. Cleo pulled Eames jacket closer around her, feeling somewhat conscious with her shambled self.

"A bit of a problem coming here, but nothing my stylish coat can't fix," said Eames, winking at Cleo. Cleo was confused at first, but was then thankful for taking Yusuf's attention away from her; right now wasn't exactly her best, "Glad you've cleaned the place up a bit, old boy." Eames jested as he walked to the man. Yusuf was hardly offended, he was used with Eames' jest when it comes to his- anything really. He shook Eames' outstretched hand, mirth playing on his eyes, "I assume you're not here just to check up on my cleaning, yes?" Yusuf asked, smirking at Eames as he laughed.

"Not exactly…" I looked at Cobb, then back to him, sheepishly smiling at the confused chemist. "These people are Cobb and Saito," she said as she introduced them, both nodding their heads at Yusuf, "They have a proposition to offer."

"Ah. You are looking for a chemist," he said, sitting back down as he gestured for Cobb to seat. Cobb took his place in front of Yusuf, prepared to talk business.

Yusuf was a difficult man to persuade. Granted, he was confident with his concoctions, most he has tried out himself. And by far, Cleo and Eames swear he was the best chemist they ever had work for them. But going into the field was entirely different. He has spent most of his days in his laboratory or in his dreams, both of which hardly gave him training against any foreseen trouble.

"We need you there to tailor compounds specific to our needs." Cobb pushed poor Yusuf, leaning closer as his elbows rested on his knees.

"A dream within a dream, two levels?"

"Three." Yusuf scoffed. Three levels was something no sane extractor would even try. Two levels was possible; with newer formulas integrated, creating better versions of compounds, improvements has been made to make the mind stable enough no to confuse itself. However, for three levels, the complications were too high a chance if ever tried in the field. "Not possible. That many dreams within dreams would be too unstable," he tried to explain as he thought of scenarios where each one collapsed.

"It is possible. You just have to add a sedative." Cobb said, his grip on his knuckles tightening as he tried to convince the chemist.

"A powerful sedative." Yusuf was about to stand from his chair, ready to close the argument, but noticed Cobb's shaking; his knuckles gone white. He can see the man was desperate. From what he'd gather, the man will perform inception. A huge leap considering he has never heard of it being performed successfully.

He stared at Cleo and Eames. They were his last clients who asked for his version of the compound to use for inception. He can see Cleo fidgeting her fingers mindlessly, her eyes far away, her attention nowhere. Eames was just staring at Cobb and him, but his hands firmly placed on Cleo's back, acting as sort of an anchor for her.

The effect on Cleo's mind was something no one expected. It was something he thought both of them wouldn't want to remember again, yet here they were. It is possible they've discuss the risks with their team mates, why else would they bring them here? People learn from their mistakes, maybe they're confident they have. Besides, if word goes out that his newer formulation of compounds was a part of their success, his clientele would grow. "How many team members?"

"Six."

"Seven." All eyes turned to Saito. He was holding a flask at arm's length, admiring the liquid in it, "The only way to know you've done the job is if I go in with you," he said, casually swirling the flask.

Cleo stared at the businessman. Clearly, he knew nothing of what they did. Every job has their risks, and bringing someone who has no experience or usable talent in the field can be dangerous, "There's no room for tourists on a job like this, Mr. Saito." Eames spoke up, staring at the man who looked ignorant to the dangers of dream sharing.

Saito carefully placed the flask back on the shelf. He turned his attention back to all of us, "This time, it would seem there is."

There was silence in the room, no one knew what to say to their employer. On one hand, he was the financier of their little expedition, but on the other, if he lost his way in the dreams, there's a chance the past repeats itself. Cleo shivered at the thought. Cobb and Eames looked uneasy, thinking of ways to explain the possible dangers once they go under. Saito stared at them, clearly won't take a no for an answer

Cleo looked between the men. Her job was to be their protector. If she was scared shitless now, what use is she to them? She shook her head, clearing pessimistic thoughts from her head. She will NOT let the past ruin this for her. It has been a long time since then, she was stable now. With that though, she put out smirk, trying as best as she can to exude confidence. She cleared his throat, earning the attention of the men. "Come now gentlemen," she turned to Cobb and Eames, "There is a reason why I'm here."

She walked over to Eames, swaying her hips sensually, casually brushing the shelves as she passed by, "If worse comes to worst, I'll shoot at any bastard stupid enough to come our way." By Eames' right side, she looked up at the man, daring him to defy her. He chuckled, not completely convinced she was ready for this type of job yet, but he will be there when she needs him again, "Alright."

Yusuf showed them his own version of Somnacin, a vial he pulled out from his desk. It looked similar to the compounds they usually use, but the formulation was more suitable for what they were planning. It increases the effect of typical Somnacin so that dreams are more stable, and time within the dream was twenty times normal.

He showed them how it worked, more so, he showed them how it work on his clients. It was stable enough; one hard slap from the man on guard didn't make the client turn or groan from the pain. While Cobb took his time trying Yusuf's version himself, Eames went back upstairs to join Cleo, leaving Saito to look after Cobb.

Once upstairs, he found the woman sitting on Yusuf's chair. She was holding Yusuf's vial, staring at it, lost in thought once again. He always wondered what she thought of; more of hoping it wasn't the past. He walked over to Cleo, taking care not to make a sound.

"With your big feet, I doubt you can sneak up on me Eames," she said, now smiling, a small accomplishment on his side, as he caught the man mid step. Eames chuckled, not that he was trying to scare her or anything, but it still impresses him how she knew it was him every time. "What are you doing up here, love?" He asked softly, facing her as he leaned on Yusuf's table.

Cleo sighed. She looked tired, exhausted even. It was one hell of a day, no doubt, but Eames wasn't expecting her to look worn down as she was right now. "You don't look too good," he pressed the back of his hand on her forehead, "Are you coming down with something?"

"Hardly," she gently pushed Eames' hand away. In her hand, she fiddled with a locket around her neck, "Eames, will we be ready this time?" She stared at him, her eyes looking scared. Her doubts from earlier were coming back, haunting her. He didn't like seeing her this helpless. Without another thought, Eames quickly brought himself to her level, kneeling on the floor as he held her arms, forcing her to look at him, "You know which reality is true," he said, determination seeping through his voice. He rubbed his calloused hands on her arm, soothing her the best he can, "I'm real."

He knew this job would take a toll on her. Last time they tried inception, Cleo lost a part of herself. She stared back at Eames, forcing a smile to come its way. It was hard to be sure that everything will go smoothly. At this point in time, she knew who she was and what was real. But even now, there's always that tiny voice that keeps asking 'Is this real?' The locket she wears, a plain gold locket, was her totem. It was a gift he made for her when they started with Cobb. He remembered how irritated she was when in the middle of making it, Eames distracted her into cutting it in half. The replacement locket he made that she now wears was sort of a peace offering between the two.

Inception was a risky business. It was complicated and mentally exhausting even just to try in the field. They were all exhausted when they started the job, everybody stressed out from preparations the night before. With everyone distracted and the misfortune of the projections being trained, one of it stole the locket off of Cleo.

She knew it was a projection, she knew she was in a dream, but a pesky voice in her made her doubt. In the midst of a fight, their architect stole back the locket from the projection he killed; he gave it to Cleo before they moved on to another level. There Eames noticed a change. She kept fiddling with her locket, looking around her, looking lost. By then, she was convinced that where they were then was reality. Nearing the end of their job, it was time for them to leave. However, she was adamant in staying, begged them to stay with her. Eames tried to make her see reason, but she was being irrational. The totems were what kept them sane in a way, it was what keeps track of reality. Once the totem was stolen, she felt lost and confused, she started questioning reality; even with her totem returned to her, she just grew more confused. He couldn't bear to leave her behind, so he tricked her to wake; he shot her at the back of her head.

He remembered how crazy she acted when she realized the sudden shift in her 'reality'. She kept shouting and screaming that she was stuck in a dream, and that she needed to get back to reality. He and their team mates surrounded her, tried reasoning with her, but she was so sure. So sure that she was ready to shoot herself to prove it. Eames reacted instantly. He saw her reach for the gun, but Eames tackled her before she got to it. Eames left with Cleo once the job was declared a failure. They lived in hiding, away from dream sharing.

Her belief wasn't solid. A part of her was convincing her of the 'true reality' outside of the world she currently lives in, another part took side with Eames. A month after, he can see her resolve cracking, he was getting to her. But, there was still that voice inside her that made her wake up, leave Eames sleeping on the bed, walk to the kitchen, and pick up a knife. The voice told her to end this life so she can go back to her real one, back to where the real Eames was. She was ready to stab herself, but Eames was there in time to grab her arm. Cleo cried that night, so confused and scared. It broke his heart. He threw the knife away in to the sink, and pulled her down on the floor with him. He cradled her, whispering sweet nothings in to her ear.

It took time for her to settle down; by that time, tears was just flowing down on her cheeks. It was then Eames begged. He begged her to come back to him, to be okay again. It was one thing to lose a team mate, but to lose her- it was something he didn't even want to think about. It was from Eames' words that Cleo found herself again.

It took months off the job to get her bearings back in place, but Eames never left her side. For that, she was grateful. It has been years since that happened. After that, they swore off inception until they both were sure Cleo could handle it again.


End file.
